Photo finish puts Campbell in run-off with Wentworth

Wow! In an amazing feat of sheer determination bolstered by a whole lot of charisma and grassroots enthusiasm, Texas Senate District 25 candidate Donna Campbell pulled off an upset for the books by defeating an entrenched career politician who spent $2.5 million, Elizabeth Ames-Jones, which catapulted her into a run-off to unseat another entrenched career politician, Jeff Wentworth, who spent $1.5 million.

Despite the mountains of money, name recognition, and powerful connections backing her opponents, Campbell reached a stunning achievement coming from behind to garner 33% of the vote to Wentworth’s 35% forcing the 19 year incumbent into a run-off. Campbell was outspent 25:1.

“I’m excited about the momentum that brought us to our strong finish. It’s people not dollars that drove our campaign. We surged with our positive campaign and stuck to the issues that are important to Texans,” says an ebullient Campbell. “We’re almost there.”

There are a host of contrasts between the two finishers. Wentworth’s record on conservative issues is less than stellar. He’s pro-choice, advocated for both new taxes and tax hikes, including toll roads, and has voted to expand government, debt, and spending.

Tolls an issue in the race
In fact, Wentworth authored a bill, SB 942, in the 80th legislative session that could have given the authority to impose a ‘congestion toll’ on our roads (where the toll varies based on the level of traffic, you pay more, the more congested a road is), a charge by mile toll, an increase in both gas tax and vehicle registration fees, as well as to impose a ‘commuter tax’ on residents outside the county who commute into Bexar County.

One of THE primary reasons concerned citizens have never been able to stop tolls on 281, 1604 and other local freeways in the Texas Legislature or at the local transportation policy board called the MPO is due to Jeff Wentworth.

Good bills would pass the House only to have Wentworth put up a roadblock on the Senate Transportation Committee. He’s voted for every toll road bill that crossed his desk. Wentworth even worked for the same law firm that represented Zachry when Cintra-Zachry put an unsolicited bid on TxDOT’s desk to takeover 281 & 1604. He blocked efforts to get that contract under the private toll road moratorium bill in 2007, and later reversed himself after his connection to Zachry’s law firm was outed.

Wentworth led the charge to ensure 281 and 1604 remained toll projects in October 2009 at an MPO meeting at Alzafar Shrine that had record-breaking attendance, 800 people standing room only. He bragged about having the ‘spine’ to stand up to constituents and vote to toll despite citizens testifying against tolls 94 to 6.

Knowing tolls is a hot issue, Campbell put up a billboard in Stone Oak along 281 that said: ”Freeways not tollways.” She’s for elected leadership at TxDOT, a full audit of the agency responsible for a $1.1 billion accounting error, and ending diversions of road taxes for non-road purposes.

One thing about Campbell that appeals to voters is the fact she’s outside the political establishment. Anyone who has spent even five minutes with Campbell knows she exudes enthusiasm and inspires people with her message of smaller government, taming out of control spending, and fighting to protect our freedoms. Supporters have called her “spunky,” “spitfire,” and “just what we need in Austin — someone who’ll fight for us, not against us.”

Healthcare also at the fore
Another issue Campbell, an emergency room physician, cares deeply about is healthcare. When contemplating who’s best equipped to deal with healthcare she queries: “You gotta ask yourself, who do want addressing healthcare issues? Career politicians or an actual physician?”

Campbell, who advocates the repeal of Obamacare, declared, “We need to get government out of our way. Instead of being a head wind, it needs to be a tailwind. Sad that I need to get a government job to get the government out of my job.”

She’s a fighter and a candidate for all of us. Her win was our win, and she’s shed the notion that minimal funding means a grassroots candidate can’t win. Campbell is sure to make an inedible footprint on Texas government…now let’s get her there!